NEW DELHI: In 2025, Haryana recorded a sex ratio at birth (SRB) of 923 girls per 1,000 boys, the highest level in five years and a 13-point rise from 910 in the previous year. This development follows a period of fluctuations, with the state seeing a steady climb from lower figures in earlier years before a dip in 2024.
The state registered a total of 519,691 births in 2025, consisting of 270,281 boys and 249,410 girls. Compared to 2024, when there were 516,402 births including 246,048 girls, this represents an increase in overall births and a notable gain in female births.
Looking back, Haryana’s SRB has shown progress over the past decade. In 2014, it stood at 871, which was among the lowest in the country at the time. It improved to 876 in 2015, then jumped to 900 in 2016, a 24-point gain, before reaching 914 in 2017 and holding steady in 2018. The ratio peaked at 923 in 2019 but gradually declined to 922 in 2020, 914 in 2021, 917 in 2022, 916 in 2023, and 910 in 2024. By 2025, the SRB of 923 brings the state closer to the national average of around 933.
Officials attribute this recent uptick to targeted enforcement efforts against prenatal sex determination and illegal abortions. A key factor has been the formation of a state-level task force in March 2025, involving representatives from the health department, police, women and child development, AYUSH, National Health Mission (NHM), and the Food and Drug Administration. This group conducts weekly reviews to monitor the SRB and coordinate actions.
Enforcement activities intensified in 2025, with ultrasound inspections nearly doubling from 3,072 in 2024 to 5,836 in 2025. Abortions beyond 10 weeks dropped from 21,498 in 2024 to 14,204 in 2025 over the same period. Authorities registered 114 FIRs under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act and 16 under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.
Additionally, 83 chargesheets were filed in courts related to MTP violations, and 154 raids were carried out for PCPNDT infractions. Reverse tracking of abortions after 12 weeks among women who already had girl children resulted in 68 FIRs against clinics, chemists, peddlers, and middlemen. Over 6,000 illegal MTP kits were seized, 59 FIRs were filed for their unauthorized sales (including 17 for online transactions), and 41 chemist shops were sealed. Out of 1,500 registered MTP centers, 395 were closed due to violations.
Inter-state coordination played a role, with 218 raids in Uttar Pradesh, 89 in Delhi, 83 in Punjab, and 26 in Rajasthan during 2025. These operations targeted covert clinics using portable ultrasound machines, though challenges such as information leaks and logistical hurdles were noted. From 2015 to 2025, the state filed a total of 1,375 FIRs under the PNDT and MTP Acts. Even in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, around 100 FIRs were registered, increasing to 142 in 2021.
The “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Panipat in 2015, has been instrumental in driving these changes. As Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini stated, “When the BJP formed the government in 2014, Haryana’s sex ratio was 871, one of the lowest in the country at that time. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign from Panipat in 2015, the State government took concrete steps in this direction.”
G.L. Singal, involved in the save girl child program, commented, “We got very good results with such actions in 2025, as the SRB rose by 13 points.”
Dr. Virender Yadav, Director of NHM Haryana, explained the enforcement details: “A total of 114 FIRs were registered under the MTP Act and 16 under the PCPNDT Act in 2025. Ultrasound inspections nearly doubled from 3,072 in 2024 to 5,836 in 2025. Reverse tracking of abortions beyond 12 weeks among women with previous girl children led to 68 FIRs against clinics, chemists, peddlers and middlemen.”
District-level performance varies. Panchkula led with an SRB of 971, a 56-point increase from 915 in 2024, followed by Fatehabad at 961 and Panipat at 951. Other districts above the state average include Yamunanagar (943), Karnal (944), Sirsa (937), Mewat (935), Kurukshetra (927), Ambala (926), Bhiwani (926), Hisar (926), and Kaithal (924). Improvements were also seen in Charkhi Dadri and Faridabad.
District-wise performance
-Panchkula: 971
-Fatehabad: 961
-Panipat: 951
-Karnal: 944
-Yamunanagar: 943
-Sirsa: 937
-Mewat (Nuh): 935
-Kurukshetra: 927
-Ambala: 926
-Bhiwani: 926
-Hisar: 926
-Kaithal: 924
However, some areas lag behind. Rewari recorded the lowest at 882, with Gurugram (Gurgaon) at 901, Faridabad at 916, Rohtak at 898, Sonipat at 894, and Jind at 918. Gurugram saw only a two-point increase, while Sonipat experienced a seven-point decline and Jind a one-point drop. These districts, particularly those bordering other states, face ongoing scrutiny due to potential cross-border activities related to sex selection.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Sudhir Rajpal noted, “While the state average has improved, micro-level monitoring will continue in districts still below 900. Districts bordering other states will be under tight scrutiny, as we aim to improve SRB further in the coming months.”
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